2026 Long-Term Care Medicaid Figures at a Glance
Long-Term Care Medicaid relies on a handful of numbers that change each year. Some are set by federal law and published by CMS, the Social Security Administration or HHS. Others are set by each state. This page gathers the key federal figures for 2026 in one place, explains what each means and links to the guides that use them. For a state’s own limits, see its state guide.
Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.
Federal figures for 2026
| Figure | 2026 amount | What it is used for |
|---|---|---|
| SSI federal benefit rate, individual | $994 a month | Base for many income limits |
| SSI federal benefit rate, couple | $1,491 a month | Base for some couple income limits |
| Special income limit (300% of SSI) | $2,982 a month | Income cap for nursing home and waiver care in many states |
| SSI resource limit | $2,000 single / $3,000 couple | Asset limit in many states |
| Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) | $32,532 minimum / $162,660 maximum | Assets the spouse at home can keep |
| Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA) | $2,705 (from July 1, 2026; $2,643.75 before that) | Minimum income for the spouse at home (48 states and DC) |
| Maximum MMMNA | $4,066.50 a month | Cap on the spouse’s income allowance |
| Excess shelter standard | $811.50 a month (from July 1, 2026) | Used to raise the MMMNA for high housing costs |
| Home equity limit | $752,000 minimum / $1,130,000 maximum | Equity allowed when no spouse or protected child lives in the home |
| Personal needs allowance (federal minimum) | $30 a month | What a nursing home resident keeps; most states allow more |
| Medicare Part B standard premium | $202.90 a month | Deducted when figuring patient liability; often paid by Medicaid |
| Medicare Part B deductible | $283 a year | Medicare cost-sharing |
| Medicare SNF coinsurance (days 21-100) | $217 a day | What a person pays during a Medicare skilled nursing stay |
| Medicare Part A hospital deductible | $1,736 per benefit period | Medicare cost-sharing |
| Federal poverty guideline, 1 person (48 states and DC) | $15,960 a year | Used by some state income rules and Medicare Savings Programs |
| Federal poverty guideline, 2 people (48 states and DC) | $21,640 a year | Same |
Alaska and Hawaii use higher amounts for the MMMNA and the poverty guidelines.
What the figures mean
The SSI figures
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program sets the most common starting points. The $2,000 resource limit is the asset limit in many states, and the $994 benefit rate is multiplied by three to create the $2,982 special income limit. See SSI and Medicaid.
The spousal figures
When one spouse needs long-term care and the other stays at home, federal “spousal impoverishment” rules protect the spouse at home:
- The CSRA lets the spouse at home keep part of the couple’s assets. Depending on the state, it is either a fixed amount or half the couple’s countable assets within the minimum and maximum. See The CSRA.
- The MMMNA guarantees the spouse at home a minimum monthly income. If their own income is lower, part of the applicant’s income can be paid to them. See The MMMNA.
The home equity limit
If no spouse or protected child lives in the home, the applicant’s equity in it must be under the state’s limit. States choose a figure between the federal minimum and maximum. From January 1, 2028, no state may use a limit above $1,000,000 (with some exceptions for farm property). See Home equity limits.
The personal needs allowance
A nursing home resident on Medicaid keeps at least $30 a month under federal law for personal items. Most states set a higher amount. See Personal needs allowance.
The Medicare figures
Medicare figures matter because most people on Long-Term Care Medicaid also have Medicare. Medicaid often pays the Part B premium and cost-sharing. When it does not, the premium is deducted before figuring how much income goes to the nursing home. See Dual eligibility.
Figures that are not set federally
Many figures that matter most are set by each state:
- the asset limit (many states use $2,000, but not all);
- whether the state uses the income cap or a medically needy spend-down;
- the penalty divisor used to figure the look-back penalty;
- the personal needs allowance above the federal minimum;
- the state’s choice of CSRA and home equity limit within the federal range;
- the allowance for people receiving care at home.
See Asset limits by state, Income limits by state, Home equity limits and The penalty period.
When the figures change
| Figure | Usually changes |
|---|---|
| SSI benefit rate and special income limit | January 1 |
| CSRA, maximum MMMNA, home equity limits | January 1 |
| Minimum MMMNA and shelter standard | July 1 |
| Medicare premiums and deductibles | January 1 |
| Poverty guidelines | Published each January; states adopt them on their own dates |
| State figures | Varies by state |
This page is updated each year when the new federal figures take effect.
A quick example using the figures
Ann and Bob are married. Bob, 86, needs nursing home care. Ann, 82, will stay at home. They have $180,000 in countable assets and live in a state that allows the spouse at home to keep half the couple’s assets, up to the maximum.
- Assets: Half of $180,000 is $90,000, which is between the $32,532 minimum and the $162,660 maximum. Ann can keep $90,000. Bob’s share must come down to his state’s $2,000 limit.
- Income: Ann’s own income is $1,200 a month. Her MMMNA is at least $2,705 from July 1, 2026, more if her housing costs are high. Part of Bob’s income can be paid to her to bring her up toward that amount.
- Bob’s personal needs: Bob keeps his state’s personal needs allowance, at least $30 a month.
The rest of Bob’s income goes to the nursing home. A Certified Medicaid Planner (CMP) can help them decide how to spend down Bob’s share in allowed ways and whether Ann’s allowance can be increased.
Common questions
Why do some websites show different numbers? They may show a different year, state figures rather than federal ones, or older amounts. The figures above are for 2026.
Are these the limits in my state? Not necessarily. The federal figures set the outer bounds. Your state’s own figures are in its state guide.
Does the asset limit go up every year? The SSI resource limit of $2,000 has not changed since 1989. Many states tie their limit to it. Some states set their own.
Where can I find last year’s figures? Older figures matter mainly for applications covering past months. A Certified Medicaid Planner (CMP) can help with those.
Is the $2,982 cap the same everywhere? It is the federal maximum for the special income group. Not every state uses that group, and some use medically needy rules instead.
Sources
The federal figures on this page come from CMS’s 2026 SSI and spousal impoverishment standards (including the July 2026 update), the Social Security Administration’s 2026 figures, the CMS fact sheet on 2026 Medicare premiums and deductibles, and the HHS 2026 poverty guidelines published in the Federal Register.
How to use these figures in practice
Most families need only a few of these numbers at first:
- Find your state’s asset limit and compare it with your countable assets.
- Find your state’s income rule. If it uses the $2,982 cap, compare gross monthly income with it. If income is higher, ask whether a Qualified Income Trust is used.
- If married, look at the CSRA and MMMNA to see what the spouse at home can keep.
- If a home is involved and no spouse or protected child lives there, check the home equity limit.
Keep in mind that most of these figures are gross amounts. Income limits usually look at income before Medicare premiums and tax withholding, so the figure on a bank deposit may be lower than what Medicaid counts. Request a benefit letter from Social Security and each pension payer to find the gross amounts.
Figures that matter for the look-back
The look-back does not use a federal figure for the penalty. Each state publishes its own penalty divisor, based on the average monthly private-pay cost of nursing home care. The total of non-exempt gifts is divided by that figure to find the number of months of penalty. See The penalty period.
Related guides
- Eligibility overview
- Asset limits by state
- Income limits by state
- Married couples and Medicaid
- State guides
Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.